Fence-tightening post.



N. F. HOWARD. FENCE TIGHTENING POST. APPLICATmN FILED 001.12, 1912.

1,1 83,562. Patented May16, 1916.

2 SHEETS-.SHEET I.

A I K.' .1..

A Troya/v51.

THE CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH .60., WASHINGTON. ,VD- C.

TNTTED STATES PATENT FFTQE.

NELsoN F. HGWARD, or rammen) TOWNSHIP, TrrPncANon COUNTY, INDIANA.

rENcE-TIGH'IENING rosr.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON F. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Fairfield township, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Fence-'Tightening Post, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.`

This invention relates to posts that are designed to tighten and support wire fencing and also metallic rails and which are suitable for gate posts, the invention having reference more particularly to a composite post of such construction as to be especially adapted for end or corner posts for either farms or town lots.

An object of the invention is to provide a thoroughly reliable, strong and durable fence post that shall be so constructed as to be Vcapable of .withstanding strains due to tightly stretched wire fencing and not be so large as to be cumbersomev or unsightly.`

A further object is to provide a fence tightening post of such construction that when located as an end post at a desired gateway the gate may be hung on the post.

A still further object is to' provide afence tightening post that may be set either in a concrete base or in the ground, as may be desired.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in a post c0mjprising various novel features of construction, the invention consisting also in the `novel parts and in the combinations and arrangements of .parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a sectionof rfencing partially broken away, constructed substantially in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2, ya frag'mentary` sectional plan on the plane of the line A A in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top plan of the post with the yupper portion omitted; Fig. 4, an inverted plan4 of the upper portion of the post; Fig; 5, a vertical central sectionalview of the post; Fig. 6, a frag- Mmentary elevation of the stem of the post;

Fig. 7, an elevation .of the rotatable portion of the post orthe reel whereby the fencing wires are tightened and directly supported; Fig. 8, an elevation partially in section of Specification of Letters Patent.

ratchet teeth Patented May ie, lere.

Application lcd October 12, 1912. Serial No. 725,395.

the reel partially turned relative to the preceding figure; Fig. 9, a horizontal section on the plane of the line B B in Fig. 1; Fig. 10, a fragmentary section on the line C C 1n F ig.l 7; Fig.l 11, a perspective view of a suitable device for connecting the fence wires tothe reel or winding portion of the post; Fig. l2, a fragmentary section of the complete post on the line C C; and Fig. 13, a vertical section of the upper or cap portion of the post;

Similar reference characters in the different ligures of the drawings indicate like parts or features of construction herein referred to.

As preferably constructed, a metallic tube 1 is employed which preferably has a tapering flattened end portion 2) to prevent the tube from rotating when properly set uprightly, the tube comprising the stem which supports the remaining portions of the post and which preferably has a concrete core 3'; The upper portion of the stem has a vertical slot l therein extending downward from the top of the stem as a means for preventing slackening of the wire fencing. A tubular winding portion 5 is provided which is of suitable diameter to rotate on the stein, and it is somewhat shorter than the stem, the normal upper end of the winding portion or reel having 6 thereon. Preferably the stem 1 has a collar 7` on its lower portion and secured thereto by a set screw 8, the

position of the collar being approximately at the ground line so as to support the winding portion 5 with the upper end at a suitable, height somewhat below the plane of the top of the stern.` The winding portion 5 has a suitable number of horizontally arranged tangential apertures 9 in the wall thereof which may be either drilled or cored in the wall to receive fencing wires. A cap or head lO is provided of suitable form to `cover the stein and they winding portion, and it: has a cylindrical portion 11 that is rotatably guided on the upper portion of the stein and provided on its lower end with ratchet teeth 12 that ride upon the ratchet teeth 6 when rotated in one direction and engage the teeth 6 to prevent relative movement in the opposite direction, a hood 13 preferably being formed so as to extend about the upper portion of the reel and cover all the ratchet teeth, and the interior of the cap is provided with a cross-bar 14;

that is cast integral with the cylindrical portion 11 and extends movably into the slot 4 and prevents the cap or head from rotating` on the stem but may move vertically, the movement of the teeth (3 against the teeth 12 forcing the cap upward to fall `again by force of gravity andprevent reverse movement of the reel.

The post is provided with a concrete base 15 in which the lower portion of the stem is embedded either before or after the post is placed in position in the ground, and when provided with a base the winding portion 5 may rest upon the base so that the collar 7 may be dispensed with. l

When it is desired to place spreaders between posts to resist strains due to tight fencing Wires or to provide a fence with 1ne tallic rails above the wire fencing, a collar 16 is secured by a set screw 17 on the windl ing portion 5, and a suitable pipe fitting similar to a T is employed the larger cylindrical main portion 18 of which is placed r0- tatably on the winding portion 5 and 1s supported on the collar 16, the lateral branch portion 19 of the fitting extending toward the next adjacent post, so that two adjacent posts have main portions 18 and 18. The

side portions 19 and 19 of the ttings extend each toward the other and have a hollow rail 20 formed of tubing secured thereto, the rail being arranged at a suitable height, preferably near the tops of the posts, and it is obvious that additional rails may be similarly connected to the posts.

When it is desired to hang a gate to one of `the improved posts a collar 21V is secured by a set screw 22 on the lower portion of the reel. A suitable gate 23 having hinge members 24 and 25 is suitably arranged and the hinge members preferably extend about the winding portion 5 so that the gate may swing on the post and permit the winding portion to rotate when the gate is at rest,

the lower hinge member 211 being supported upon the collar 21. rIhe gate may be latched to a suitable gate post 26 arranged at the opposite end of the gate.

Fencing wires 27, either strung singly or as portions of woven wire fencing, are inserted through theapertures 9 or otherwise secured to the reel and are then stretched, and in some cases a wire 28 is similarly connected to two posts above the rail 20, the ends 29 of the wires being looped to prevent slipping of the wires. In some cases a plate 30 is employed which has a hook 31 that is inserted in an aperture 9, and the plate has a suitable number of studs 32 on its outer side between which a fence wire is drawn so as to become crimped and held by the studs so that the wire becomes stretched when the reel is rotated, the wires being further secured to the post if desired.

In practical use, the posts stand firmly and when the rails 20 are not designed as parts of the fencing it may be found advantageous to employ them between the end or corner posts and the next adjacent post so that the latter assists in bracing the end or corner post. In case the wire fencing becomes slightly slack it may readily be tightened by placing powerful pipe tongs on the winding portion 5 and rotating it until the wires are taut, the winding portion or reel being automatically locked by the cap when released.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A fence post including a cylindrical stem having a slot in its upper end, a tubular winding portion rotatable on the stem and having ratchet teeth on its upper end, and a cap movably guided on the upper end of the stem and having a cross-bar therein extending into the slot, the cap having also ratchet teeth on its lower end engaging the teeth of the winding portion.

2. A fence post including a cylindrical stem, a tubular winding portion rotatable on the stem and having apertures in the wall thereof, plates having studs thereon and 4having also each a hook inserted in an aperstem, a tubular winding portion rotatable on the stem and having ratchet teeth on the upper end thereof and having also apertures extending transversely into and out of the exterior of the'wall thereof, a cap movable vertically on the upper end of the stein and having ratchet teeth on its lower end engaging the teeth of the winding portion, the cap having also a hood thereon extending over and about all the teeth and means for preventing rotation of the cap on the stem.

4. A fence post including a hollow cylindrical stem having a solid core secured therein, the upper end of the stem havingk a vertical slot therein, a cap movable vertically on the stem and having a cross-bar therein extending into the slot, the lower end of the cap having a hood and also ratchet teeth p in the hood, and a winding portion rotatable on the stem and extending into the hood, thew upper end of the winding portion having" ratchet teeth thereon engaging the teeth of the cap.

5. A fence post including a base, `a cylindrical stem having a flattened lower end portion embedded in the base, a tubular wind-l ing portionV rotatable on the stem and extending from the base toward but not entirely to the upper end ofthe stem, the upper end of the winding portion having ratchet teeth thereon, and a cap movablel vertically on the upper end of the stem and locked against rotation thereon, the lower end of the cap having ratchet teeth engag- Y and a cross-bar in the slot of the stem and cooperating therewith and with the cap for preventing rotation but permitting vertical movement of the cap.

7. In a fence-tightening post, the combination of a cylindrical stem having a Hattened lower end portion to prevent rotation thereof, a tubular winding part rotatable on the stem and constructed for winding fencing thereon, means for locking the winding part to the stem against rotation of the part in one direction, a collar Xedly secured to the winding part, a connecting device comprising a hollow main portion loosely embracing the winding part upon said collar and permitting rotation thereof, the device having e a hollow lateral branch, and a tubular brace inserted and secured in said branch.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NELSON F. HOWARD. Witnesses:

JOSEPH S. SMITH, S. E. HARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

